November – National Diabetes Awareness Month

Did you know that diabetes can lead to heart attack and stroke, blindness, or kidney failure? Since November is National Diabetes Awareness Month we thought this would be a good time to review this condition that’s rapidly becoming a national level risk to the health of Americans.

Consider that:

• 24 million children and adults in the United States live with diabetes
• 57 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes
• 1 out of every 3 children born today will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue

Too much glucose, a type of sugar, in your blood can cause diabetes problems over time. High blood glucose can cause heart and blood vessel disease, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Damage to the eyes can lead to loss of sight or blindness. Nerve damage and poor blood flow can cause foot problems, sometimes leading to amputation.

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. After a meal, food is broken down into a sugar called glucose, which is carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Cells use insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas, to help them convert blood glucose into energy.

People develop diabetes because the pancreas does not make enough insulin or because the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly, or both. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy.

Although researchers do not fully understand why some people get diabetes and others do not, it is clear that certain factors increase your risk. You may be at an elevated risk for having diabetes if:

• Your mother, father, sister, or brother has diabetes
• You are African American, Hispanic American/Latino, American Indian, Native Alaskan, Asian American, or Pacific Islander
• You have high blood pressure (at or above 130/80)
• You have a history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or gave birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth
• You are overweight or obese
• You are inactive or have a sedentary lifestyle
• You are more than 45 years old

If you have one or more of these risk factors, even if you are experiencing no symptoms, your doctor may want to test you for diabetes.

What can I do to stay healthy with diabetes?
Controlling your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol can make a big difference in staying healthy. Talk with your doctor about what your ABC goals should be and how to reach them. A stands for the A1C test-a measure of what your blood glucose has been for the last three months. B is for blood pressure, and C is for cholesterol.

You can take these steps each day to reach your ABC goals:

• Follow the healthy eating plan that you and your doctor or dietitian have discussed.
• Be physically active for 30 to 60 minutes most days.
• Take your medicines as directed and keep taking them, even after you’ve reached your goals.
• If you smoke, quit now.
• Ask your doctor if you should take aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
• Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, sores, swelling, redness, or sore toenails.

For more information, please visit: American Diabetes Association and The National Institute of Health

Consumers think drinks don’t count

A recent report examining what parents of young children and teenagers think about drinks reveals parents do not count drinks as part of their children’s daily food consumption. According to the report, parents and teenagers share a number of similar concerns but have very different purchasing patterns in terms of where they bought drinks, what drinks they bought, and what influenced them in making these decisions.

“This research clearly shows that we as consumers have a bit of a blind spot about the contribution of liquids to our daily calorie intake. Many soft drinks on the market contain a lot of ‘added’ sugars and few nutrients for example, sweetened fruit juice drinks and fizzy soft drinks,” said Dr. Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director, Human Health and Nutrition at safefood, which commissioned the report. “Water, milk and pure, unsweetened fruit juice drinks are the healthiest drink options and any other drink should be seen as a ‘treat’.”

A common dilemma expressed by those surveyed for the report was that parental control over food intake is somewhat lost as children reach a certain age.Research indicates that teenagers are influenced by image, advertising and cost when choosing their drinks. The power of brand advertising and celebrity endorsement of certain drinks were seen as major reasons why young people choose certain drinks. Parents expressed the belief that the marketing and pack formats of certain drinks were attractive to children and that these factors encouraged their children to consume these drinks.

“Both parents and teenagers indicated that mindless consumption plays a huge role in what they eat and drink”, continued Dr. Foley-Nolan. “Teenagers said they always needed ‘a drink’ while they were hanging out, watching television or socialising with one another. It also emerged that the consumption of many drinks was down to habit and what children/teenagers were used to. Many parents said they tried to reduce the number of fizzy drinks being purchased and were quite successful at doing this. When they made positive changes to the type of drinks consumed, despite some initial resistance, their children adapted and got used to it quite easily” she added.

“We know from dietary intake research who consumes what type of drinks. This research reveals that parents feel that a sugary drink is more favourable than a sugary food as a treat and both, parents and teenagers, seem to ignore the significant calorie counts of many of the drinks consumed in our schools and homes”, said Dr. Foley-Nolan. “It also highlights the challenges faced by parents when purchasing soft drinks for their children and the influence of advertising on their purchasing habits”, she added.

View summary and download full report